


A place where I can call you mine

by goodbyelover



Category: GOT7
Genre: Alternate Universe - Space, Antagonism, Arguing, Breaking Up & Making Up, Former Lovers - Freeform, Hopeful Ending, Implied Sexual Content, Lovers to enemies to lovers, M/M, Mild Peril, Ship Malfunction, Snark, Spaceships, messy relationships, very very very mild and implied
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-19
Updated: 2020-05-03
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:14:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23742886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goodbyelover/pseuds/goodbyelover
Summary: The moment Youngjae stepped foot out of the shuttle, Jinyoung’s elbow embedded itself in Jackson’s ribs.“Ow, what the fuck,” Jackson hissed, trying to discreetly swat him away while remaining pleasant for the whole host of officials that were also exiting the shuttle. Some of these people were bigshots – Jinyoung was pretty sure the statuesque woman who’d just stepped up next to Youngjae was the IGPU’s top official for the Division of Deep Space Exploration – but his attentions were singularly focused on the appearance of Choi Youngjae.Who just also happened to be Jinyoung’s ex.
Relationships: Choi Youngjae/Park Jinyoung
Comments: 6
Kudos: 46





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Who are we if not gays in space, eh?
> 
> Beta'd by @maricolous ♥

The moment Youngjae stepped foot out of the shuttle, Jinyoung’s elbow embedded itself in Jackson’s ribs.

“Ow, what the fuck,” Jackson hissed, trying to discreetly swat him away while remaining pleasant for the whole host of officials that were also exiting the shuttle. Some of these people were bigshots – Jinyoung was pretty sure the statuesque woman who’d just stepped up next to Youngjae was the IGPU’s top official for the Division of Deep Space Exploration – but his attentions were singularly focused on the appearance of Choi Youngjae.

“You could have told me he was coming,” Jinyoung whispered back, trying to dig his elbow in harder even as he gave his most winning smile, his face betraying nothing of the bruising he was trying to inflict. 

“ _ You  _ knew we’d submitted all the initial findings on Epsilon Serpentis,  _ you _ should have known they’d want to bring him,” Jackson said, finally taking a step to the side to escape Jinyoung. 

That was true, probably. Jinyoung  _ should _ have seen this coming, once the science officers had informed the  _ Covenant _ ’s leadership team that Epsilon Serpentis was displaying some unusual readings. Jinyoung hadn’t understood the whole of it, just that the dust cloud surrounding the white star was  _ super fascinating _ and they were to expect an envoy of officials to survey all the potential the star had to offer before the  _ Covenant _ was posted to her next assignment. This included administration, techies, and at least one archivist. Who better to send than the darling Choi Youngjae, recently promoted within the elite echelons of the Intergalactic Planetary Union’s research department.

Who just also happened to be  _ Jinyoung’s ex. _

So yes, maybe Jinyoung should have expected to see him.

“Will you both shut up,” Jaebum said over his shoulder, giving them both a sharp look before turning to step up and greet the envoy. “Secretary Karimova, I’m pleased that you were able to arrive safely. Welcome to the  _ Covenant _ .”

“We are most pleased to be here,” she told him, smiling warmly, though she looked a bit pallid at the edges. “I will admit, it has been a long time since we’ve had to travel so far. For some of us, of course. Youngjae here is always galavanting off to new places.”

“Only as you tell me to,” Youngjae said with a bright bark of laughter.

His laugh hadn’t changed after all this time.

“Come this way,” Jaebum said, playing host as he led Secretary Karimova away, followed by the others, though he paused to clap Youngjae on the shoulder. “It’s nice to see you, Youngjae.”

“It’s been a while, hasn’t it?” Youngjae said, flashing Jaebum a glowing smile. He didn’t look Jinyoung’s way as he followed Jaebum and the secretary out of the hangar.

“I see this is going to go  _ great _ ,” Jackson said and quickly sidestepped before Jinyoung could jerk his elbow up into his ribs again.

“It’ll be fine,” Jinyoung said absentmindedly as he turned to head out of the docking hangar and back up to the bridge – he’d be acting commander until Jaebum was finished playing tour guide, the tendrils of something contemptuous wrapping around the edges of his mind.

Choi Youngjae was on his ship after all this time.

*******

The visiting officials would all be hosted in guest quarters, making it easy to avoid if that had been Jinyoung’s intention.

It wasn’t.

Youngjae was standing near one of the ship’s terminals in the main lounge, late enough in the day-cycle that he was alone, his personal console hooked up and processing something rapidly; he must have needed to access more information than the quarters’ accesses could provide. He didn’t seem to notice Jinyoung’s approach and Jinyoung took the time to take the view in. Even during downtime, Youngjae looked sleek in the snug IGPU uniform of dark burgundy and black, not a single glossy black hair out of place. He looked so wildly out of place, as most of the ship’s crew wore the standard issue jumpsuits like Jinyoung, grey and baggy. He was a pristine jewel amongst the common muck of the universe.

Youngjae’s efforts in his appearance had always made something depraved bubble up inside of Jinyoung – an intense desire to reach out and take and ruin; taking a beautiful thing and making it more beautiful by wrecking it.

Like a moth to flame, Jinyoung ghosted closer, hands snagging at Youngjae’s hips and hooking his chin on his shoulder. “Aren’t you supposed to be relaxing?”

Youngjae stiffened but did not immediately push Jinyoung away, something Jinyoung took great satisfaction in. “Captain Park,” Youngjae said, and Jinyoung noted that Youngjae’s Common had lost its accent from their younger years, now immaculate, pristine, and surgical. “I did not realize the  _ Covenant _ ’s command crew was so unkempt as to think this was an appropriate way to interact with government officials.”

“ _ Aw, baby, don’t be like that _ ,” Jinyoung drawled in their mother tongue instead, hands squeezing at Youngjae’s hips. “ _ You know it’s just for you _ .”

“Somehow I doubt that,” Youngjae said derisively, pointedly sticking to Common as he stepped out of Jinyoung’s grasp and unlinked his personal console from the main hub. “Please remain professional for the remainder of our stay. I’m not here to mingle, I am here to complete a task.”

Jinyoung grinned, ignoring Youngjae’s steely gaze because Youngjae’s ears had turned red, and that had always been a tell that Youngjae was beginning to fluster. It pleased Jinyoung, knowing that even after these years of distance, he could still get under Youngjae’s skin. 

“ _ You had to know I’d be here _ ,” Jinyoung said, stepping back into Youngjae’s space, not quite touching him but pressing him up against the hub by proximity alone. “ _ You came anyway _ .”

At this, Youngjae’s perfect facade dropped, his lips twisting into a sneer, eyes flashing with heat. “ _ Some _ of us do our jobs properly, Jinyoung,” he said, and it felt like that name had left his lips on accident, but it wasn’t something that could be taken back now. “Fuck off or I’ll shove you out an airlock.”

“ _ So riled up, baby _ ,” Jinyoung said, unfazed by the threat as he finally took a step back. Something spiked in the pit of his stomach, the satisfaction of it all warming through him. He’d never say that he missed Youngjae these days, but his sudden reappearance in Jinyoung’s orbit was bringing a flood of old memories back and Jinyoung was enjoying the nostalgia of it all. “You could just say you missed me.”

“I’ve never lied to you before,” Youngjae said, ducking past Jinyoung. “I’m hardly going to start now. Good night, Captain Park.”

“Night,” Jinyoung said amiably, shamelessly watching the way the fitted uniform pants molded to Youngjae’s ass as Youngjae left the lounge, passing Jaebum on his way out, the two of them trading soft pleasantries before Jaebum stepped into the room.

Jaebum looked at Youngjae’s retreating figure and then at Jinyoung, wearing an expression of trepidation.

“Please tell me this isn’t going to turn into a dumpster fire,” Jaebum asked. “Please tell me you won’t jeopardize the  _ Covenant’ _ s next assignment because your ex-boyfriend’s here.”

“I think he’d probably murder me before he’d think of reporting me,” Jinyoung said, shrugging his shoulders, but seeing Youngjae had set something off inside of him and he didn’t want to linger here to talk to Jaebum right this moment. “It’s fine.”

Jaebum snorted, shaking his head. “This is why I didn’t tell you he was coming.”

“Mmhm,” Jinyoung said, side-stepping Jaebum and patting him on the shoulder as he passed. Poor Jaebum. Jinyoung would feel bad later. “If you need me, I’ll be in my bunk.”

“I hate you so much.”

*******

Once upon a time, Jinyoung and Youngjae had been in love.

At least, Jinyoung assumed Youngjae had loved him. He’d said so, back then, with ease and earnestness, with sweetness against Jinyoung’s lips as they kissed. So yes – once upon a time, Jinyoung and Youngjae had been in love.

They’d met during the Academy days. Youngjae had been recruited from high school, but Jinyoung had transferred in a year late, having taken longer to realize the call of unexplored space outweighed the luxuries that would come with a civilian background of diplomatic relations. Jaebum was actually the one who’d introduced the two of them, he and Youngjae having taken to studying together in most of their spare time. At first, Jinyoung had assumed Youngjae had nursed something for Jaebum like a lovesick puppy, until a kiss and a surprise confession had corrected his notions.

Back then, Youngjae had been softer and sweeter in his endeavours, not yet grown into the ruthless ambition that he now wore like a second skin, though still driven and passionate.

Jinyoung had eaten him up.

Even when things were good, they’d been more akin to a hurricane than a love song, but Jinyoung had come to realize it was just what he preferred. Why would he want someone steady and loyal, when he could have Youngjae instead, tempestuous and unstoppable?

“I don’t know why you want to be part of the archival team,” Jinyoung had commented, booping Youngjae’s nose as they sprawled out in one of the viewing ports, Youngjae tucked against his chest and cradled among the stars. “Doesn’t the officer track suit you more, little tyrant?”

“I like the idea of space not existing until I say it does,” Youngjae had answered, grinning cutely up at him. Jinyoung felt something gently squeeze around his heart at the sight. “Isn’t that more tyrannical?”

For a while, Jinyoung had been wholly consumed by the call of the universe and loving Youngjae, the two things so thoroughly entangled that Jinyoung didn’t dwell on where one stopped and the other began. He remembered once buying Youngjae a necklace, one made of silver with a crescent moon and a sun nestled in its negative space. “This space exists because you said so,” Jinyoung had written in the note to go with the necklace. This space in Jinyoung’s heart, where Youngjae had said ‘ _ I love you’. _

In the end, they had crashed and burned.

If someone were to ask Jinyoung, he wouldn’t be able to recall what exactly had gone wrong, just that they’d fallen apart fast and hard. Probably it had just been inevitable with the stress of evaluations, of grading and judgement and placement. There were just so many expectations pressed upon both of them. There were  _ plans _ , plans like all landing the same assignment when Jaebum had been accelerated to ship command. Jinyoung was studying more than he was sleeping. Youngjae’s entire self had gone fevered. Things had gotten more unpleasantly heated, like a comet hitting the atmosphere, and it was only a matter of time before one or the other got hurt.

By the time Youngjae had been placed in the IGPU’s headquarters instead of on the  _ Covenant _ with the rest of them, he and Jinyoung had already fractured beyond repair.

“You’re the worst fucking thing that ever happened to me,” Youngjae had said, at the very end of it all, tears streaked down his cheeks, with absolute venom in his eyes.

“I hope you’re fucking miserable,” Jinyoung had said back then, viciously. “It’s only what you deserve.”

Jinyoung had also cried of a broken heart when Youngjae was gone for good, the space in his heart now empty.

*******

As with all visiting officials and dignitaries, it was customary for the senior crew to dine with them, at least during their first few day-cycles onboard. Jinyoung enjoyed these visits, the kitchens being less stingy with their offerings, busting out recipes that eased many of Jinyoung’s more difficult cravings.

Food came second to Jinyoung’s other cravings though, as he eyed Youngjae sitting across from him. It took a few minutes for Youngjae to look his way and when he did, Jinyoung very carefully wrapped his tongue around his spoon in a way that could only be described as obscene, maintaining eye contact the entire time. Youngjae paused to narrow his eyes at him, gaze icy, before turning to pointedly join in on the discussion happening amongst the senior officials - a trade deal being negotiated between the Mars colony and Alpha Centauri’s planetary convention.

It was a dry and boring affair and Jinyoung  _ knew _ , he knew that Youngjae didn’t actually care. He knew that Youngjae was just doing it because that’s what the higher ups were talking about.

“You remind me of my Academy days,” the official next to Jaebum was telling him, a greying man with a strong nose and thinning lips. “Back then, we had to sneak down planetside to have any fun, but those of us who could tough it out graduated with high praise.”

“It’s still very much that way,” Jaebum said and he was a bit like Youngjae in the way he slid into someone smooth and suave for guests, normally skulking around the bridge to ensure everything was running efficiently. “Many of us attended the Academy together, actually,” he said, nodding towards Youngjae.

“Oh, I hadn’t realized,” the man was chuckling. “Youngjae’s a good sport, but you know us older folk, we slow him down. It must be good to be back among friends.”

“The Academy’s such a large place, we weren’t all close,” Youngjae said, smiling serenely as he looked straight at Jinyoung, before sliding his gaze back to the man. “Jackson and I were roommates for the last year though.”

“ _ Aw, baby _ ,” Jinyoung said. He could feel Jackson and Jaebum stiffen on either side of him – and sure, he was treading on social conventions in mixed company as he used their mother tongue, but he locked eyes with Youngjae and smiled. “ _ Are you just going to spend this entire time pretending you don’t know me?” _

Nobody seemed to be paying them much mind, the man having turned to confer with the secretary, so Youngjae tilted his head, his smile tightening ever so slightly.  __ His voice was gently accented with the rounded vowels of his home planet when he replied. “ _ I try not to bring attention to past disappointments.” _

That shouldn’t have stung as much as it did. Jinyoung’s eyes narrowed. “ _ Past disappointments? You mean like how you lied to me? _ ” 

“ _ Guys… _ ” Jackson said, shifting uneasily, looking nervous at the palpable tension that was beginning to form between the two of them. “ _ Come on. _ ”

Youngjae’s ears were red again as he stood, turning to address the seated officials and even after all his practicing and perfecting, Jinyoung could see that he was struggling to keep his composure. “My apologies for leaving so early, but I really should make sure I’m prepared for tomorrow.” He paused and then turned back to Jinyoung. “ _ Kindly take your ego and shove it up your gaping asshole.” _

Jinyoung knew he should leave it. He knew that he should just let Youngjae walk away and quit trying to poke the bear, but there was a heat gripping his chest and a buzzing in his ears, and he found himself on his feet and following after Youngjae instead.

The corridor’s lights were dimmed for the evening hours and it was completely empty as Jinyoung called out to Youngjae’s retreating back. “ _ Don't you dare pretend you didn’t lie to me about applying for both the Pegasi’s research division and the IGPU’s headquarters.” _

Youngjae spun around, eyes flashing bright with fury. “ _ Can’t lie about something you weren’t even around to ask about, asshole _ ,” he spat back. “ _ Stay out of my way, Jinyoung. _ ” With that, he wheeled back around, vanishing down the corridor and leaving Jinyoung to watch him leave yet again.

That was how they seemed to operate now.

He was still standing there when Jaebum came up from behind. “I see you two haven’t murdered each other yet.”

“Yet,” Jinyoung said, slanting his gaze over to Jaebum and grinning brightly. It was probably only a matter of time, and the thought of it gave him an idea. He shouldn’t, he shouldn’t, he knew he shouldn’t… but he was going to do it anyway. “Jaebum.”

“Jinyoung,” Jaebum said, instantly wary at the tone of Jinyoung’s voice – they’d known each other far too long for him to not be. 

“I have a favor to ask of you.”

*******

The day cycle had barely begun when Jinyoung entered the bridge, brushing past several junior officers on his way to the helm. Youngjae was there with Jaebum and Jackson, peering carefully down at the bridge’s display and his own console. Once again, Jinyoung was reminded of the differences in their worlds – Youngjae stood out in stark contrast against the quiet bustle of the officers around him. “All drones have cleared diagnostics – where’s my pilot?”

“He’s right here,” Jinyoung said, leaning against the bridge to grin at Youngjae, his smile sharp as their eyes met.

Youngjae looked at him for a moment and then turned to Jaebum. “No.”

“He’s qualified,” Jaebum said, holding his hands up placatingly. “You knew that already.” 

The best part was that it wasn’t even a lie. They had several excellent pilots on the  _ Covenant _ but even though Jinyoung had taken the officer track in the Academy, he’d been an extremely skilled pilot, still holding several records despite the two years that had passed. The Academy was  _ still _ asking if Jinyoung would consider returning to either do bootcamps or join as an instructor.

“Jaebum,” Youngjae said, a hard edge in his voice.

“Youngjae,” Jaebum said without faltering.

They stared at each other for a moment, unwavering, and something passed between them, something that not even Jinyoung could really decipher, but it made Youngjae huff softly. 

“Fine,” he said, annoyance laced jaggedly through that single word as he turned to Jinyoung. “Shut up and keep out of my way or I  _ will _ shove you out an airlock.”

“Sure thing, sweetheart,” Jinyoung said smoothly. “Lead on.”

Jackson caught his arm before Jinyoung could follow Youngjae off the bridge. “Look… I hope you know what you’re doing.”

“It was nice knowing you,” Jaebum said, ever the best friend.

Jinyoung winked at them both. He didn’t have a plan, not really, but he sure as hell wasn’t passing this opportunity up.

*******

Things actually went quite smoothly for the first several hours, Jinyoung steering their smaller spacecraft to various parts of Epsilon Serpentis’s orbit so Youngjae could release his drones, taking samples and readings in order to independently verify the findings of the  _ Covenant _ ’s science team for his own report to the IGPU’s council.

Things also went in almost complete silence.

Youngjae was methodical and focused and Jinyoung didn’t doubt for one minute that he’d get spaced without a suit on if he tried to interrupt the first few deployments, so he kept to the helm, giving Youngjae some space as they went from checkpoint to checkpoint.

Jinyoung only had  _ so _ much self control though.

“So what do you think they’ll do with this?” he asked as they neared one of the last stops, taking the shuttle into a controlled drift before he swiveled in his seat to Youngjae.

The look Youngjae gives him was dirty and unimpressed. “You don’t have to pretend you actually care.”

“No, please,” Jinyoung said cheerfully. It was just too easy to needle Youngjae. “Please tell me what grand exploits the big ol’ Union has planned once this is chartered space, I’m  _ dying  _ to know.”

“Why don’t you just insult my work up front, Jinyoung,” Youngjae said as he began guiding the drones back out again, standing up to watch them from one of the ports. “Since that’s what you really want to do.”

“I wasn’t insulting your work,” Jinyoung said.

“Then will you shut up and let me--” Youngjae didn’t finish his sentence though, as the ship gave a wild buck, the lights on in the cockpit flickering wildly as both Jinyoung and Yougjae were thrown to the ground. The shuttle shuddered a second time before stilling, and Jinyoung could hear the main ending’s hum fade away to nothing.

“Damn it, what now,” he said, hauling himself up and throwing a hand out to help Youngjae to his feet. He could feel his shoulder twinge from where he’d hit the ground, but nothing was too bad. Youngjae looked similarly rumpled but unharmed.

“You tell me,” Youngjae said as they both leaned over the ship’s computer. They were still on main power, which helped ease the worry that they were going to die. It couldn’t be _ too _ bad, right?

It turned out it still wasn’t great.

“There’s a malfunction in the main engine’s propulsion, which is why it shut off,” Jinyoung said, after he’d assessed the damages. “Unfortunately, it looks like it damaged our long distance communications before the safety protocols kicked in.”

“Shouldn’t the  _ Covenant _ be in range of its short range communicator?” Youngjae asked, frowning.

“It would normally, but that,” Jinyoung said, pointing at the nearest moon, “is big enough that it’s gravitational field is too strong for our ship’s signal to get out right now.”

Youngjae’s eyes narrowed. “So what is the  _ plan _ , Jinyoung.”

“The ship is fine and we’re in no immediate danger,” Jinyoung said, nonchalant now that he’d confirmed with the ship’s computer. “Either we drift out of the moon’s disruptions enough to send the  _ Covenant _ a message or they’ll send someone after us if we don’t check back in as scheduled.”

“... So we wait,” Youngjae said, and even now he was annoyed more than anything.

“We wait,” Jinyoung confirmed. It probably wouldn’t be more than a few hours. Maybe even sooner if Jaebum was keeping a sharp eye on the clock.

Irritated, Youngjae got to his feet. The fall from earlier had knocked him all askew and he jerked a hand through his hair, mussing it further into a softened tousle. “I swear, Jinyoung, if you did this on purpose.”

“What?” Jinyoung said, rounding on Youngjae and sputtering in indignation. “Hold up, hold up, why the  _ fuck _ do you think I’d do this on purpose? You really think I’d put you in danger?”

“I don’t know what to think,” Youngjae snapped, still raking his hand through his hair but turning to face Jinyoung, anger and hurt clear in his expression. “I don’t know what to think when you’ve spent the entire time I’ve been here trying to make my life hell. How am I supposed to know this isn’t just an elaborate scheme for you to fuck with me some more?”

His words stung, made something red-hot lick at Jinyoung’s fingertips because how _ dare _ he? “Youngjae, what the fuck is wrong with you?”

“Tell me I’m wrong,” Youngjae challenged, eyes blazing.

“I shouldn’t have to!” Jinyoung said, stepping into Youngjae’s space, furious as he fisted Youngjae’s uniform jacket and shoved him up against the bulkhead. “Just because you don’t want to feel guilty for the choices  _ you  _ made, doesn’t mean you can make me into a monster, Youngjae. What in the actual–”

But he stopped short, words dying in his throat. Youngjae’s uniform jacket had crumpled when he’d been thrown to the ground and the top button had popped open. Something glinted silver at the base of his throat, something Jinyoung assumed had been thrown away ages ago.

A crescent moon and a sun nestled in its negative space.

The silence was deafening.

Jinyoung slowly dragged his eyes away from the necklace, bringing his gaze back up to Youngjae’s face. For the first time since he’d stepped foot on the  _ Covenant _ and back into Jinyoung’s life, Youngjae looked unsure of himself.

“Youngjae,” Jinyoung said, dangerously quiet as he reached up to trail a finger over the chain of the pendant. His heart was thunderous in his chest, thudding against his ribs in ravenous need.

Youngjae swallowed, licked his lower lip, and there was something stunningly vulnerable about the nervousness edging into his eyes and the warmth of his skin beneath Jinyoung's touch.

“... I may have lied to you once,” he said, voice nearly a whisper.

Jinyoung acted without thinking. There was no iteration of this situation that played out any other way. He curled his fingers into Youngjae’s hair, his grip just shy of being gentle as he exposed Youngjae’s throat wrapped in silver.

“Say something now,” he said, heart racing, breath quickening as he crowded against Youngjae. There was something akin to hunger roaring up inside of him, their proximity threatening to swallow him whole, unless Youngjae refused him what he so desperately wanted.

Instead, Youngjae leaned in and kissed him.

*******

Jinyoung made Youngjae cry, delight thrumming in his veins in the sight of his stained cheeks.

*******

“Fuck, Jinyoung,  _ please.” _

*******

Somewhere between now becoming later, Jinyoung dozed, rousing only once the computer began trilling. There was an incoming signal.

He winced as he sat up, his shoulder definitely bruised as he pulled his jumpsuit back on. 

Beside him, Youngjae snuffled quietly in his sleep, still out cold and clearly exhausted. Jinyoung paused for a moment, just to admire him. He couldn’t help the swell of pleasure at the sight of Youngjae’s naked body, bite marks blooming red on the insides of his thighs and bruises forming on his hips.

Jinyoung loved taking a beautiful thing and making it more beautiful by wrecking it.

The computer trilled again, and Jinyoung pulled Youngjae’s uniform jacket over him before stumbling over to the pilot’s seat and collapsing into it before answering.

“Captain Park!” said Junior Officer Montague, clearly relieved as she threw her hand up. “Sir? Sir! Shuttle 2 has responded.”

She vacated her seat as Jaebum came into view, settling down in her place. “Status report.”

“Engine went down, but everything else is fine,” Jinyoung said, giving Jaebum his best reassuring smile. “Come get us?”

Jaebum leaned sideways and Jinyoung could hear him conversing with Jackson before he straightened again. “We’ve changed course to rendezvous, it’ll be maybe forty minutes. Keep broadcasting until we can start docking.”

He paused, then squinted at Jinyoung’s somewhat disheveled appearance. “I take it you two haven’t killed each other. Where is he?”

Jinyoung glanced to where Youngjae was still fast asleep, thankfully out of sight of the ship’s communicator. “I think we’re just fine,” he said, his smile widening as he turned back to Jaebum.

“... I absolutely don’t want to know,” Jaebum decided. “Keep us updated if anything changes. Command out.”

*******

Jinyoung hadn’t known what to expect once they returned to the Covenant. He’d gotten pulled into a meeting with Jaebum while Youngjae had gone off to report to Secretary Karimova. The drones had all been recovered safely and there would be minimal delays in completing the archival project, though Jaebum made the executive decision to delay for a day-cycle just to be safe.

So Jinyoung was surprised when he returned to his quarters to find Youngjae waiting there for him, back in pristine condition, though the collar of his uniform was still popped open as he played with the pendant.

“Hey,” Jinyoung said as he reached for the lock pad, opening the door for them.

“Hey,” Youngjae said, and followed him in without waiting for an invitation. 

“Do you want some tea or something?” Jinyoung asked, gesturing for Youngjae to make himself comfortable while he headed to grab some drinks. His quarters weren’t luxurious, but they were well kept, reminiscent of their home planet. “The oolong is shit, but I’ve gotten my hands on some really good jasmine.”

“I’m fine,” Youngjae said, curling up on the cushions and waiting for Jinyoung to join him, which he eventually did, the two of them facing each other.

“So…” Youngjae said slowly, still fiddling with the pendant, looking down at one of the cushions between them, eyes unfocused. “I figured we should… talk.”

Jinyoung nodded, though he had to admit, he had no idea what to expect. Would Youngjae gently push him out for good? Was there another option for the two of them? He waited, giving Youngjae the silence and the space he needed.

“I love this job,” Youngjae finally said. “It’s… I’ve seen some pretty incredible things, Jinyoung. Some things I can’t even put into words. It’s been so good to do what I do, to travel the universe the way I have.”

He looked up to meet Jinyoung’s gaze. “I’m sorry for what happened though. Back then. I know some of the choices I made… hurt you. And I’m sorry for that.”

Words failed Jinyoung in that moment, so he just nodded.

Youngjae’s fidgeting continued, but he didn’t look away, and his eyes were soft and warm and Jinyoung felt like he could spend the rest of his lifetime staring into them. “I just wanted it so badly and I… wasn’t sure you were interested in compromising.”

“I’m sorry too,” Jinyoung said, taking a deep breath because he would accept this apology but needed to extend his own. Their ruin had been disastrously mutual, after all. “I shouldn’t have made as many assumptions as I did, back then. It didn’t do us any good.”

Youngjae let out a short huff of laughter, slumping back against a large cushion to stare up at the ceiling. “Maybe this is how we were always meant to be.”

“Do you actually believe that?” Jinyoung asked, because it had only been hours since they kissed, but he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about Youngjae since he’d walked down that ramp.   
  


“... No,” Youngjae admitted.

They lapsed into silence, Youngjae’s fingers still playing over the edges of the moon as Jinyoung watched him, before Youngjae finally dropped his hand and sat up. “A little bird told me your next assignment is near the Messier Cluster until the Mars Colony deal is finalized and you’ll be moved back into unchartered space… I pass through that cluster pretty frequently.”

It was an offer and Jinyoung took it without hesitation. “Would you stop by?”

“If you want,” Youngjae said, taking a deep breath before smiling ruefully. “ _ I’m always going to be this terrible, Jinyoung. _ ”

Jinyoung didn’t answer immediately. He gave himself time to savor the inflection of his name on Youngjae’s tongue. It felt different than his memories, but not in a way he minded. “ _ I think I could learn to live with that _ ,” he told Youngjae, open and honest.

He looked at the necklace against Youngjae’s throat, a moon hung in Jinyoung’s sky, a sun tucked in in its negative space, a space Youngjae had created when he had said ‘I love you’ all that time ago. That space still existed, and probably always would. That space which held the promise of more, like a star going supernova.

Jinyoung was willing to take a chance for that.

He was willing to take a chance for Youngjae.


	2. Omake #1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An outtake that didn't fit in with the actual finished piece, as it's written from Youngjae's perspective and the piece ended up being Jinyoun'gs POV only. Also I later decided to allow Bambam the freedom of being someone else should I revisit this 'verse.

“So,” Bambam said, looking over the steam rising from his (beautiful and pricelessly antique) teacup at Youngjae. “That’s him, I take it.”

“We are not talking about this,” Youngjae said, hands jerking up to nearly touch his hair before he abruptly stopped, smoothing at his uniform instead. He’d meant to look over the data he’d pulled from the ship’s mainframe, but Jinyoung had shown up and now Youngjae could barely focus on anything.

“I thought you were ready for this,” Bambam said, setting the teacup down, lacing his fingers to a steeple as Youngjae began to pace. “You know the boss wouldn’t have made you come if you told her you wanted to pass.”

  
“I am  _ not _ going to disrupt my job just because he’s on this stupid ship,” Youngjae said sharply, turning on his heel to retrace his steps across Bambam’s quarters. “He doesn’t get to do that to me.”

“And what would you call this?” Bambam asked, the corner of his lips quirking in bemusement.

“I just--” Youngjae started and then stopped himself, making a noise of frustration. He could feel the fury bubbling in his chest, angry more at himself than he was at Jinyoung. Jinyoung had thrown him off-kilter so easily and Youngjae should be better than that. Youngjae had fought, negotiated, and strategized his way into this position. He’d been up against the galaxy’s best and he had  _ won _ . 

Who was Jinyoung to still get under his skin?

“I had just forgotten how obnoxious he is,” he finished.

“Mm,” Bambam hummed as he sipped at his tea. “He’s much more handsome than I expected.”

Youngjae made a strangled sound, realizing that he absolutely wasn’t going to get anywhere with his friend right now, too wound up over how easily Jinyoung had needled him. “You are free to have him, I’m pretty sure he’s free. Be my guest!”

“You say that now, but you’d be furious if I actually did,” Bambam said knowingly. “You hate not being first in everything.”

Youngjae left before he could say anything he’d regret.


End file.
